CMF Question
Comments
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AL..did they ever figure out what caused the rash?
sorry you had to go through that..
Js..I did not have a port and I am glad I didn't...
Good nurses could always find a vein..the bad ones not so lucky
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i seem to feel best in the mornings / afternoons, then about 4pm i start to feel just kind of low grade "ick" and by the evening i get that low grade sort of flu feeling. i'm really hoping it was just because i had treatment on wednesday, and not the cytoxen pills. it wasn't bad, but at the same time, the idea of spending the next 23 weeks feeling as if i'm about to get the flu is not exaclty my idea of fun.
right now i feel great though. i'm going to try to eat good breakfast & lunches, because by dinner time, even though i don't feel nauseaus, it's like it's right there on the horizon, and i have no interest in food at all. and i'm not one to force myself to eat for the sake of eating. i just can't. bone scan today.
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i seem to feel best in the mornings / afternoons, then about 4pm i start to feel just kind of low grade "ick" and by the evening i get that low grade sort of flu feeling. i'm really hoping it was just because i had treatment on wednesday, and not the cytoxen pills. it wasn't bad, but at the same time, the idea of spending the next 23 weeks feeling as if i'm about to get the flu is not exaclty my idea of fun.
right now i feel great though. i'm going to try to eat good breakfast & lunches, because by dinner time, even though i don't feel nauseaus, it's like it's right there on the horizon, and i have no interest in food at all. and i'm not one to force myself to eat for the sake of eating. i just can't. bone scan today.
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socallisa - yah, i'm getting the feeling that the port is for the nurses more than me! "it's much easier for the nurses, and for you of course". then the scare topic will start on how i'm going to ruin all my viens and won't have any left and i can never have an iv or a blood draw in my right arm again because of the possibility of lymphodema. but then a nurse was very honest with me and said that is old school thinking, and since i had only a few sentinal nodes taken out, that it's no longer considered an issue by most younger docs. who knows. the surgeon explaining the procedure to me, with the jugular and everything, and his sort of "eh" attitude about another scar and how bad it will be (he was honest and said expect it to be noticeable because it's in a spot that gets a lot of skin movement) i just knew walking out of there, that i didn't want it.
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I was counting my blessings that it was not here in Michigan.
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I have heard that dark chocolate is so good for us but I never really could make myself like it. Well...I am happy to announce that I found a way to use it that I love. I put a few pieces of it in a cup of hot organic milk, stirred and voila! Delicious hot cocoa that is super good for me.
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Hi gals,
Those of you who are having vomiting need to tell your oncologists. This isn't the norm for CMF if you've been given the correct anti-nausea and take home nausea meds. Also, take the meds as soon as you get home from your treatments instead of waiting until you get sick. If you do this and still get sick, report t to your onc., There are many different meds they can give you and each works differently on different peoiple. There is no need to suffer. Lemon drops also help cut that nauseous feeling.
For those of you who have just finished chemo.......YEA!!!!! Doesn't it feel good to have it behind you?
Florida isn't so sunny today but it sure beats that white fluffy stuff the midwest and eastern coast is getting.
Hugs to all of you!
Rita
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Rita ... leave it to you to give the advice of the day ..... I so agree with you on the nausea issues .... there are far too many alternative meds to feel darn right crappy.
Now Rita ... get back to enjoying your "cation" !!!!!
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today was awesome - felt & still do feel completely normal. i think that sort of "ick" feeling wed & thurs was just from the treatment. whew! i was scared there for a moment that was how i was going to feel every day for the next 23 weeks. yes, i've started counting down already. ;p
bone scan for mets today - crossing fingers that nothing is found. my first onco wasn't even going to do it. of course, now i'm feeling a bit anxious - but if it's there, it's there, and there is nothing i can do about it. i didn't have it because there was any sort of indication, she just ordered it to make sure.
the tech guy who put in the iv for the solution they use to see contrast said that i have awesome veins even if they are little, and a good nurse should have no problem getting an iv in the first try & that i shouldn't have a problem with it.
i like the reassurance, because seriously, the more i think about it, they can stick me all over my body in any vein they can find before i'll let them do that port on me. 0 -
JS
Glad you have the first one behind you and are feeling good. Now that you know what to expect maybe it will be less stressful. Are you on a 3wk schedule?
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ritajean, you are such a jewel and so happy to see you back on here. Have a great vacation
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merilee - nope, i take the daily low dose pill, then i have a weekly low dose of m&f. i almost feel guilty, because beyond feeling just sort of yucky (and not all that bad) wed and thurs, i've felt absolutley normal. occasionally i'll get a little light headed, but it's momentary and then that's it. i do notice that i get a bit more tired earlier than i usually do. normal bed time is midnight, but i've found myself tired by 11 since starting.
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Fabulous, don't feel guilty, feel glad, I know I am. I had imagined this to be quite a nightmare and it has not been so far. How long do you have to take the pill everyday? I have learned how to take care of myself even better than I did before , this is a positive silver lining I have found all ready. I have been raising kids for 21 years and always focused on their needs and just got out of the habit of treating myself special. Now I am and I love it. This will continue past chemo LOL
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I just realized that in 12 days I will have chemo #3 and be half way done already.
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Hi All,
It's been awhile since I checked in. I had round 5 of 8 IV CMF last week so I have 3 more to go followed by radiation. I have found the se's are getting worse as the treatment progresses. I asked the onc to lower the Decadron given with the CMF, so that I can sleep the first few nights afterwards. Lower Decadron means more nauseausness. I've been taking compazine (something like that) and ativan for the stomach but I find I need to sleep alot for two or three days after chemo. I also have a neulasta injenction the day following CMF and the claritin tip I found here does seem to help. I take claritin the night of CMF, and twice the following two days and it seems to help. No one at the Drs office was familiar with the Claritin tip. I have lost alot of hair but I seem to be the only one who notices and I don't need a wig. Meanwhile, I am still getting horrendous periods, which were expected to stop. I found out the fibroids are getting worse and if I don't go through chemopause, I will have to deal with the fibroids after all this stuff is over with. I was looking forward to being done with the CMF in 9 weeks but just found a small lump in the breast I had the lumpectomy in. I have to wait until Monday to speak with the dr but I am scared I will need more surgery and/or stronger chemo. I'm hoping everyone else is doing well.
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I can relate to you CurlyGirlNY. I now feel a lump (or 2) in my OTHER breast, though. I don't know if I'd know the difference between a lump and scar tissue in my lumpectomy breast at this point, but so far it feels "normal." The other breast, however, has couple of questionable spots. Now, CMF might cause lumpiness...I don't know, but now it's something I'm obsessing over. I let it go after my first treatment and followup with my onc to see if it was something consistent. I think my period isn't coming anymore, unless it decides to be REALLY late, so I can't even judge whether it's a hormonal thing...the changes in my breast. So, I will bring it up on Monday at my followup with my onc and I will be THRILLED for him to tell me I'm crazy rather than be correct. The last thing I want to go through is the whole mammo, sono, biopsy process again. I just feel a little upset tonight over my decision to get a lumpectomy versus a mastectomy, because then I wouldn't be going thru this right now. Just not a good week with chemo SEs that ended up actually being a nasty cold and now this...UGH. I'm dreading Monday.
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Wow reading these posts makes me realize how lucky I am. So sorry to hear you ladies are having a rough time. Sending positive light in your direction. One thing I do every morning is light a candle and say a little blessing for those I know are struggling with BC. I will add you to my thoughts during my ritual.
Hugs
Merilee
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Thanks Merilee for the positive thoughts. Judy73, I hope it is just benign cysts for both of us. I'm dreading tomorrow too but trying to stay positive.
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I'll think positive thoughts for both of us tomorrow, CurlyGirl. The more I think about it...the more I think I'm just being paranoid, but I just can't let it slide without saying something about it.
GOOD THOUGHTS for everyone!
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merilee - i take the pill every day for the 24 weeks. i'm just going into my second week of treatment, so i think it's pretty typical that it's easy so far. i'm really hoping that it stays that way.
curlygirlny & judy1973, i'm thinking good thoughts for you!
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Okay, so my blood tests are all good and I'm all set for my 3rd treatment on 2/22. I told my doc about the little bit of trouble breathing and related cough that I experienced after the first 2 treatments and he said to keep an eye out for that again this next time to see if it's worse or the same or what have you. He's not terribly concerned, because it goes away, but wants to keep an eye on that. I told him about the lump I feel in my "healthy" breast and he also feels it. He believes that it's just a collection of adipose tissue, but because of my increased risk, he's sending me for an ultrasound to get it checked out for sure...so, that's on Thursday morning. He kept saying, though, to not leave his office feeling worried, because he really feels that it is just fatty tissue. I tend to agree. Plus, my menstrual cycle started up today (2 weeks late!), so it could be hormone-related (altho' I have felt it for about a month). So much for temporary menopause. Good, bad...not sure. Not excited about having irregular periods...but what can ya do!?
Hope to get the ultrasound results fairly quickly. Would like to put that little old question mark behind me and just keep on keepin on with chemo...
Hoping everyone is feeling good!
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CurlyGirlNY: I've been thinking of you and wondering how you got on today.
Judy: I know last time I had an ultrasound, doc called me the same day with results. I hope you don't have to worry through the weekend waiting for results.
I had my first consultation with a radiation oncologist today. The visit lasted 2.5 hours. They were very thorough in taking my history and reviewing my records. Very efficient and friendly and pleasant too. I go back on Wed of next week for mapping and will have simulation at a later date. I don't have a start date yet, the rad onc said that they usually start 3-4 weeks after end of chemo, and they want to check that blood work is OK first.
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Mary, thanks for the insight on the radiation oncologist vist, mine is set for the 19th now and I was dreading it a little. They are doing my simulation the same day as consultation so a little confused by that. I thought mapping and sim was the same but I'm obviously wrong since I know next to nothing about this part of the process
! Guess I'll be learning soon enough. Happy everything went well and that chemo is behind you !curlygirlny and judy, I'm keeping you both in my prayers!
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Cabmon: My rad onc called the first step mapping/planning and told me I would be coming back later for simulation. However, this article - All About Radiation Therapy - refers to the first step as simulation. But the article does not mention a dry run after that. So maybe my onc does it in two separate steps and some combine the two?
I was glad to have the consultation separately from any mapping. It's nice to meet the onc and nurse and get a feel for where you're going beforehand. If you have to bring records with you, such as mammo film or pathology slides, would it be possible for you to drop in a day or two beforehand with those. This might allay some of your fears.
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Hi All,
I called the onc on Monday and the nurse asked me to follow up with the surgeon. I was supposed to go tomorrow but because NY is expecting a blizzard, I'll be going on Friday. Still nervous about it. Did anyone here start hormonal drugs while on chemo? I had a lumpectomy at the end of August but did not start CMF until November. I'm highly ER+ and PR+ but so far no hormonal treatments yet. I'm just curious about the order of the treatment.
Mary and Cabmom, I hope the next step goes well and glad you guys have the chemo behind you. Judy, I have some minor coughing and throat irritation a few days after treatment. I was told it's because the chemo effects the mucous membranes from your mouth through digestive tract. It's hard to know what to expect and what to worry about it. I hope your sono goes well! I'll be thinking of you on Thursday.
I'll let you know what happens Friday. And I hope they do a sono and not a mammo.
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Starting my detox today...ahhh
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curlygirlny, thanks so much but unfortunately I still have one more chemo treatment which is on the 17th and then on to the radiation oncologist on the 19th. I am thankful that I only have one more to go but I am HAPPY for Mary and glad that she's done with treatments.
Mary, thanks for the advice on the radiation oncologist. Not to nervous about it just ready to get started. Good luck with yours.......
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CurlyGirlNY: I don't think it would be a good idea to start hormone therapy while still doing chemo. If you had SEs, it would be hard to figure out what was causing it. My onc wants me to start Tamoxifen before I start rads and I'm not sure I want to do that. I would prefer to get rads out of the way first.
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Has anyone else had problems with nosebleeds while on CMF? Mine started while on AC and got worse while on CMF. There is blood almost everytime I blow my nose. I'm guessing the culprit is Cytoxan. It's now over a week since my last treatment and I thought it would be better by now. Sometimes too I have a sensation similar to that when in the chemo chair and you can sense the drug affected your sinuses. Very unpleasant. Just wondering how long it takes before the drugs are out of one's system.
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my onc told me that chemo stays in the body 10-14 days. It leaves behind a shizter load of dead cells however.
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